Former India player Aakash Chopra has applauded MS Dhoni for not longing for credit and just wanting his team to win as leader and captain as well. Dhoni led India to the title in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. He captained the Men in Blue and won the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. India also became the top-ranked Test side under him as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “Mahendra Singh Dhoni the leader, Mahendra Singh Dhoni the captain – it’s a huge chapter in itself. I was reading about Nelson Mandela, who said that leadership has many ways. You lead from the front, you lead from behind, you lead by example, you lead by committee.”

ALSO READ: Kirti Azad welcomes BCCI’s new directive in central contract

“He captained in a very different way. He has always captained from behind. He allowed the others to flourish. He didn’t want credit, he just wanted to make his team win. You can take the credit, remain close to and lift the trophy, and he will stand somewhere on the side,” the former India opener added.

However, Aakash Chopra also said that Dhoni enhanced the players’ strengths and hid their weaknesses as much as possible. He again said that it was extremely clear in the talismanic skipper’s mind that he had to build a team and that players only do well when they are given confidence as well.

READ ALSO: Michael Vaughan praises Team India after series win over England

“What was left to achieve? He won the T20 World Cup when no one expected he would be made the captain. Then the IPL happened, where the Chennai team won their first trophy in 2010. You won the World Cup again under his captaincy in 2011, finished it off in style with a six. After that, you also won the 2013 Champions Trophy. Chennai kept winning trophies one after the other in the IPL. So he became captain par excellence,” Aakash Chopra concluded.